Gonna buy a buddy a handgun...which one?

Take him to a range first and let him shoot yours, especialy if you have several he can try. Then when he really likes one, invite to go again next week and say "oh by the way, that one's yours". Hard to suggest for somone that has no experience.

Take him to a gun range where you can rent and he can try several handguns. If he has no experience, there is a low probability of you purchasing a handgun he will like to use.

Then go with him to purchase the handgun, and pay for it. That way it's legal. It is illegal for you to purchase a firearm with the intent of transferring it to another person (straw man purchases).

Andy

I would get him the S&W .357 magnum.

The 4" .357 revolver is one of the most versatile handguns ever created.
Great for self defense, great for home defense, great for plinking (with .38 special loads), and even good for hunting (depending upon your state laws).

It isn't a straw purchase if you buy it with the intent of giving it as a gift to someone who can legally possess a gun. If you use your own money, it isn't a straw purchase.

Every shooter needs a quality .22 handgun...

What does he want?

I recently bought my oldest brother a pistol for just that very reason...he helped me pay off a big chunk of my remaining debts by paying me for contract work on weekends that I went to visit him and ended up helping him out on various remodeling jobs and such.

During our many hours of discussions, it came out that he always wished he had a .22 revolver to carry for plinking and while hunting and fishing.

I decided that this would be a great idea to thank him for all the bills he's helped me to pay off. So I slipped in discussions of various types and models of .22 revolvers and ended up getting him a blued Ruger .22 Single Six Convertable in 5.5 inch barrel.

There are lots of ways to go about this...and making a game of it makes it pretty fun. I was able to narrow down what he'd like quite well, based on discussions of past revolvers he'd shot and so forth.

You might try that, plus taking him to some gun ranges that rents handguns to shoot since he's got "zero experience" with them. That would make it fun, interesting, and a tremendous learning event. And it will invariably come out that he would like one gun or another during all this.

Then go with him to purchase the handgun, and pay for it. That way it's legal. It is illegal for you to purchase a firearm with the intent of transferring it to another person (straw man purchases).

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So long as his buddy can legally own a firearm then no, that is not a straw purchase. You are allowed to purchase guns with the specific intent to give them as gifts to someone who legally may own one(in many states at least).

It is illegal for you to purchase a firearm with the intent of transferring it to another person (straw man purchases).

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this is incorrect, although it was inevetable that someone would spout off on the "oh noez, straw purchase!" topic
A gift isn't even in a grey area, it is specifically covered by the BATFE. When you buy a gun as a gift, you are the purchaser, and you are purchasing it for your own use (that use being as a gift)

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Archangel14, I'll pile on with the "let him test drive a bunch" - buying guns for other people is generally an exercise in futility, particularly for handguns. Read the big thread at the top of the "general handguns" section about purchasing for wives/girlfriends - most of the concepts there apply here.
If you must buy him a handgun blindly, a good .22lr target pistol is your best bet.

If you want to get him a first gun without him knowing knowing about it, then I would say a .22 semi-auto would be a perfect gift. A Ruger Mk.III, Browning Buckmark, or Beretta Neos are all great choices for a beginners gun to start out with.

Get him a .22 revolver.

A good one.

Depending on the size of your friend, it might be ok to take a jump or two past a .22 (even though a .22 is THE BEST first-gun caliber).

I recently took a good friend of mine handgun shooting for the first time. He's 6'9" - 380 lbs...so I left the 22's at home I took my 1911 and my S&W 686. He loved both of the guns, but REALLY liked the .45.

I think a nice 9mm - a beretta, High Point, or Ruger SR9c (there's someone on this forum selling one right now for a reasonable price) - would be nice. Not too much punch to handle, relatively cheep ammo, and something you can shoot all day!

A Glock 17 is a fine working gun, but IMHO the revolver is a better gift gun. A little more classy, and a little more sentimental. Plus the heavier longer trigger will be a bit safer for a newbie.

I once gave a friend a gun as a finder’s fee for getting us in a FSBO house we really wanted at a very reasonable price. I brought him to a gun store and we were looking at guns for me. He started looking at stuff and thought a Colt AR15 was cool, and I paid for it and he filled out the paperwork. If your friend is interested in shooting, tell him you would love to take him shooting. See what he likes and either buy him something he likes or hand one of yours over (subject to the requirements of applicable law). If you have the time to spend, giving the time to teach someone a new skill can be more valuable than the physical gift. Turning someone with ZERO experience loose with a new gun may not be such a great idea.

I like the idea of a nice Smith .357 myself. He can shoot powderpuff .38 loads until he's comfortable enough to handle full throttle stuff.
That's just me, don't know if he would share my opinions.

If I can ever help you out with anything, please let me know.

I paid for it and he filled out the paperwork.

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This is an example of a straw purchase. On a 4473, one of the questions (I believe it's the first) is "Are you the actual the purchaser of the firearm?" To which your friend, if answering honestly, would have had to mark "No" since you were buying it.

What this country needs is a 22 LR in every home

Another vote for a 22 LR, either revolver or semi-auto based on personal preference.

Ammo is cheap and plentiful (well someday again ) so it will encourage practice without breaking the bank.

Quote:
I paid for it and he filled out the paperwork.

This is an example of a straw purchase. On a 4473, one of the questions (I believe it's the first) is "Are you the actual the purchaser of the firearm?" To which your friend, if answering honestly, would have had to mark "No" since you were buying it.

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I donated money to him and he bought the gun for himself. I never took possession of it. I never owned it. He took possession and ownership of it.

psyopspec said:

This is an example of a straw purchase. On a 4473, one of the questions (I believe it's the first) is "Are you the actual the purchaser of the firearm?" To which your friend, if answering honestly, would have had to mark "No" since you were buying it.

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Psyop is right here. It doesn't matter who is actually going to end up using the gun - its all in who is the funding source.

If you buy a gun with your own money and then give the gun as a gift, then you are the funding source and its legal.

If you pay for the gun but he fills out the paperwork and takes possession then that's a straw purchase, as the person filling out the paperwork did not supply the funds and was not the buyer.

A .22 pistol (I prefer semi-autos) is, IMHO, the best place to start. Buying him a centerfire pistol may not be quite so much a favor as a burden. He's still gotta feed the thing.

Rimfire ammo is cheap. Centerfire...not so much.

If you pay for the gun but he fills out the paperwork and takes possession then that's a straw purchase, as the person filling out the paperwork did not supply the funds and was not the buyer.

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If someone donates money to another person, and the person uses the money to buy a gun, and the donee is the purchaser, takes possession and ownership and fills out the paperwork, are you suggesting that the donee of the money is not the owner?

Are you suggesting that the person who completes the paperwork under those circumstances is buying the firearm for the person who supplied the money and that title never passed to the person completing the paperwork?

If someone donates money to another person, and the person uses the money to buy a gun, and the donee is the purchaser, takes possession and ownership and fills out the paperwork, are you suggesting that the donee of the money is not the owner?

Are you suggesting that the person who completes the paperwork under those circumstances is buying the firearm for the person who supplied the money and that title never passed to the person completing the paperwork?

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Depends on how its handled. If before you guys go you give him $500 (as an example - the amount is irrelevant) and say "this is for you to buy yourself a gun, lets go pick it out", then you're fine. You didn't give him a gun - you gave him money. He can then buy it.

If however, you go, he picks out a gun, fills out the paperwork, and you then hand him or the the clerk the money, then you're the buyer. Doesn't matter if he's taking possession of the gun or not - you were the one that bought it and you needed to be the one filling out the 4473.

Its a subtle distinction (giving him money ahead of time vs paying right here, or buying the gun yourself and giving that to him instead), but firearms law is filled with such subtle distinctions.

It's not just firearms law. It is the law of donations, property law and contracts.